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Hereditary hair loss with age is the most common cause of baldness. Some people prefer to let their hair loss run its course untreated and unhidden. Others may cover it up with hairstyles, makeup, hats or scarves. And still others choose one of the treatments available to prevent further hair loss or restore growth.
How is hair loss treated?
Hair shedding can vary significantly from person to person, but according to board-certified dermatologist Geeta Yadav, MD, it's normal to lose anywhere from 50 to 150 hairs a day on average. It's also important to note that factors such as genetics, age, hormonal changes, stress, and certain medical conditions can affect the amount of hair you shed. Theoretically, your hair type may factor into how much hair you lose. "People with fine hair actually have [a greater number of strands] on their scalp," says Kingsley.
There’s a lot of hair in your brush and on the floor
However, "hair shedding" is a natural process of hair follicles going through their growth cycle, which involves the shedding old or resting hairs to make room for new hair growth. Hair shedding is not to be confused with hair thinning, which refers to a decrease in the thickness of new strands that are growing in rather than the number of strands that fall out. Hair thinning is often linked to changes in hormones, such as from androgenetic alopecia, aka male or female pattern baldness, says Kingsley. Both shedding and thinning can contribute to an overall decrease in the fullness of your hair. Telogen effluvium, or excessive shedding, occurs when the hair is healthy, but you’re losing more than 100 hairs a day, says Hooper. Androgenetic alopecia occurs when the hairs themselves are thinning out.
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This type of hair loss typically resolves on its own once the underlying cause is addressed. A dermatologist can prescribe topical or oral medications that block certain hormone changes and enhance hair growth, says Dr. Rhodes. There are also procedures and devices which can aid in maintaining the health of the follicle, she adds. The next place we notice hair shedding is in the shower, post-shampoo. What's considered a normal amount depends on how much hair you have to begin with. Those with shorter and thinner hair tend to shed less than those with thick, long hair, explains Dr. McMichael.
How Much Hair Loss is Considered Normal?
Stress, some health conditions, and even hairstyling techniques may cause an increase in hair loss. In this article, we will review what you need to know about how much hair loss is normal on a daily basis, the life cycle of hair, what causes excessive hair loss, and how to tell if you are losing too much hair. Although reducing your stress levels might seem insurmountable, making sure you’re eating the right things will go a long way to setting a good foundation for optimum hair growth. A healthy balanced diet is also important in stress reduction too as it can support a healthy immune system, repair damaged cells and even reduce elevated cortisol levels. Getting enough protein in your diet is essential as it provides the building blocks for proper hair growth; meat, tofu, eggs, beans, grains, nuts, and fish are all good protein sources. Some studies suggest that telogen effluvium can also be connected to low levels of iron, so include iron-rich foods like leafy vegetables, lentils and liver where you can.
What is hair loss?
Have you ever tried to run your fingers through tangled hair? It’s painful, and you’ll likely pull more than a few strands out in the process, which isn’t uncommon. However, when your hair is not a tangly mess, running your fingers through your hair can be used as a test for hair loss. But there are also medications that can cause hair loss, either permanently or temporarily.
"I don't recommend checking with a hair count," says Kingsley. "It's a really common thing. It can stress you out and people end up pulling their hair out and breaking it off." Hair Health Hotline is your direct access to dermatologists, trichologists, hairstylists, and other beauty pros. Each story in this series tackles a common hair or scalp concern and offers science-backed solutions to care for your strands. Find out how much hair is normal to lose in a day, plus what may be causing you to shed more strands than usual.
A certain amount of hair loss is natural in both males and females. On average, a person loses between 50 and 100 hairs a day. Telogen effluvium describes having more than 10 percent of your hair in the telogen phase. Telogen effluvium is temporary, but more hair will fall out while you have it.
Excessive hair shedding usually lasts for six to nine months, and then your hair growth and hair loss returns to normal levels. Hair loss, on the other hand, is when hair growth is stunted. In some cases, it permanently stops, resulting in patchy or thinning areas on the scalp. “While this is a natural process, as seen in male pattern baldness, it can be distressing for some people,” Yadav says. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to slow and reverse hair loss in many cases. If you want the science behind it, hair shedding is a natural process, as every hair goes through a cycle of growth, transition, resting, and shedding phases.
Our physicians at Midwest Dermatology can help guide you through the treatment options that can stop hair loss and potentially grow new hair. In fact, the average person actually sheds 50 to 100 strands of hair per day, according to trichologist Isfahan Chambers-Harris. "It's normal for people to lose some hair on a daily basis as part of the natural hair growth cycle," she says.
This phase prepares the hair follicle for the next phase. Female pattern baldness is largely genetic, affecting hair along the top of a woman’s head. Hair shedding is not the same as permanent hair loss, which leads to the gradual thinning of the hair or a receding hairline. Hair loss occurs when the follicle stops producing hair. Start with a small area of clean, dry hair, and run your fingers through it, tugging gently once you get to the ends of your hair strands. If more than two or three hairs are left in your hand after each tug, you may be experiencing telogen or anagen effluvium.
